The Baals and the Ashtaroth refer to small figurines/statues that were meant to represent the Canaan gods of Baal and Ashtaroth.1 It did not take long after the death of Joshua for the people to begin worshipping these gods alongside/instead of the Lord (see Judges 2:13; Judges 3:7; Judges 8:33; Judges 10:6). After putting them away here in 1 Samuel 7, we do not read of Baal worship taking place in Israel again until some 200 years later in the time of Ahab (1 Kings 16:31).2
4 Et les enfants d'Israël ôtèrent du milieu d'eux les Baals et les Astartés, et ils servirent l'Eternel seul.